Falling To Pieces
by leefert
Summary: Every parent's worst nightmare is losing their child.... What happens next is anyone's guess.


"My biggest fear? My biggest fear would be something happening to my little boy. Sometimes it feels like he is the only thing in this world worth living for." *~*~*~*~*  
  
"Kim! Come on!" Carlos yells as they rush across the street after an auto accident.  
  
"What do you have Bosco?" Kim questions  
  
"SUV vs. utility pole." Bosco yells as sparks fly  
  
They all duck as sparks fly around.  
  
"FD is on the way," Faith yells  
  
"What is that smell?" Carlos questions  
  
Bosco and Faith look at the ground.  
  
"Everybody get back!" Bosco yells as he and Faith begin to move people away from the SUV.  
  
The sparks continue to fly. Suddenly, and without warning, one spark ignites the puddle of gasoline on the ground. The squad pulls around the corner.  
  
"Holy shit!" Jimmy yells as they sit in the engine and watch the gasoline ignite and the trail to the SUV acts as a detonator. The SUV is lifted off of the ground, and comes back to rest a few feet from where it started.  
  
It seemed like slow motion to Kim, Carlos, Bosco, and Faith; all of them were slow to get back on their feet. People around them were screaming, but it all seemed like a void, silence.  
  
"Carlos! Kim! Bosco! Faith!" Taylor yells  
  
Jimmy and Walsh rush over to their sides.  
  
"Kim, are you okay?" Jimmy asks as he helps her up  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." She replies as she looks at the flaming vehicle.  
  
Lieutenant Johnson rushes over.  
  
"Are you all okay?" he asks  
  
Everyone acknowledges that they are okay; DK and Lombardo finish extinguishing the flames from the burning vehicle. "That's a nasty cut you got there Kim." Jimmy says pointing out a gash on her forehead, "You should get that checked out."  
  
"I'm fine. Really." Kim replies  
  
Taylor walks over and looks at it. "Kim, he's right, you need to get that cleaned up." *~*~*~*~*  
  
They squad is back at the house. It's almost time to eat, Walsh is cooking. The news is on the television.  
  
"In other news, the remains of a local schoolgirl who disappeared from her schoolyard a week ago have been found. Police are still investigating, trying to come up with who would be responsible, and why someone would want to hurt the little girl who is being remembered by her family as sweet and loving. If you have any information that could help police track down the killer you are asked."  
  
DK turns the television off as Walsh announces that it's time to eat. The squad moves to the kitchen. Joey comes running into the room.  
  
"Mommy, daddy look!" Joey says excited  
  
"What do you have there sport?" Jimmy says looking at his son  
  
Joey holds up a piece of paper. "I got all As and a B!" he announces excitedly  
  
"That's great!" Kim responds as her mother reaches the top of the stairs.  
  
"He was so excited when I picked him up." Catherine says  
  
"Well sport, this calls for a celebration this weekend." Jimmy smiles  
  
"Really?" Joey asks excitedly  
  
"Yeah, maybe your mom and I can take you to the zoo or something." Jimmy replies  
  
"Cool!" Joey responds.  
  
"That would be cool wouldn't it?" Kim asks *~*~*~*~*  
  
Outside the station it is starting to rain. There is a car with a single occupant parked in the middle of the street, just up from the firehouse.  
  
"Damn hurricanes." Bosco complains  
  
"Come on Bos, we don't get effected by them often." Faith says as the wind whips the rain in the two cops faces.  
  
"What's this jagoff doing?" Bosco asks  
  
"I don't know." Faith replies  
  
"Hey! You. Move your car!" Bosco yells at the driver  
  
The driver rolls down his window. "Sorry officer, I am waiting for someone."  
  
"Well, wait for them somewhere else." Bosco snaps  
  
"It'll just be a minute." The driver replies  
  
"I said wait for them somewhere else." Bosco replies angrily  
  
"They're coming right back out." The driver says  
  
"I wouldn't care if they were already in your car. You're blocking my street, and last time I checked, there's a law against that. Now move your car!" Bosco demands  
  
"You're a prick, you know that?" The driver says as he speeds off.  
  
"Son of a!" Bosco yells  
  
"Let it go Bos. We've got more important stuff to do." Faith replies as she climbs into the RMP.  
  
"Yeah." Bosco says reluctantly as he heads toward the RMP. *~*~*~*~*  
  
The squad is sitting around the table enjoying their meal and chatting. They are enjoying having Joey around.  
  
"So how's little league going?" DK asks  
  
"It's going alright." Joey says  
  
"I bet you're quite the little slugger." Lombardo kids  
  
"Yeah!" Joey replies  
  
"Well Joey, come on. We better head out. I'm sure that these guys have things to do." Catherine says  
  
"But grandma." Joey protests.  
  
The protest goes no further as the alarm sounds.  
  
"Squad 55, Ladder 100, Boy 55-3. Residential fire 1898 Riverside." The alarm calls  
  
The crew scrambles up from the table and heads for the trucks.  
  
"I'll be by around 11:15 to pick Joey up. Love you both!" Kim says on her way to the bus.  
  
"See you then." Catherine calls behind her daughter.  
  
The sound of sirens fills the street and the door to the apparatus bay closes, leaving behind a feeling of emptiness.  
  
"Come on Joey. Let's go home." Catherine says as she walks with her grandson down the stairs to the firehouse.  
  
They reach the bottom of the stairs. There is a noise, as if someone else is in the firehouse.  
  
"Hello?" Catherine asks  
  
"Hello." A male voice says as Catherine turns.  
  
"Grandma!" Joey screams as the man hits Catherine over the head with a pipe. She falls to the floor. The man then grabs Joey  
  
"HELP!" Joey screams as he kicks and struggles to fight his way loose from the man's grip.  
  
"You just calm down Joey, I'm not gonna hurt you." The man says as he takes Joey out the door and puts him into the trunk of his car.  
  
Joey is screaming and crying, but no one can hear him as the man drives off. *~*~*~*~*  
  
The squad works to get the residents out of the burning home. Lightning flashes all around the area. The wind makes it difficult to contain the fire. But eventually the squad gets it out.  
  
"Man, I'm glad we don't get this type of weather all of the time!" Jimmy says  
  
"Yeah!" Taylor replies. "Alright, let's head back to the house" Lieutenant Johnson says  
  
"What? You don't want to look like a drowned rat Lieu?" Jimmy quips  
  
"No, so let's go!" Lieutenant Johnson says. *~*~*~*~*  
  
Sully and Davis return to the desk at the precinct.  
  
"Okay Lieu, we checked out all of the leads, not a single one seems to match up." Sully says  
  
"Okay. Nice try guys. We'll catch this guy." Lieutenant Swersky says referring to the kidnapper.  
  
"I hope we get him before it's too late." Davis says  
  
"We'll get him." Sully responds. *~*~*~*~*  
  
Kim and Carlos finish their paperwork and prepare to leave the hospital.  
  
"You know, I'm kind of hungry." Carlos says  
  
"Alright, you want to stop and get something to eat then?" Kim asks  
  
"If you don't mind." Carlos replies  
  
"That's fine." Kim says  
  
"Okay then." Carlos responds. *~*~*~*~*  
  
The squad rolls back up to the house. Taylor and Jimmy get out to help direct Walsh back into the bay. Taylor looks over by the stairs.  
  
"Jimmy!" Taylor yells.  
  
"What?" Jimmy asks  
  
"Get over here now!" Taylor screams at him  
  
Walsh, DK, Lombardo, and Lieutenant Johnson get out of the truck as Taylor yells "Someone get me the med bag!"  
  
"Oh my God! Catherine!" Jimmy says, he then panics. "Joey? Joey!"  
  
Lieutenant Johnson grabs the radio. "Boy 55-3, House."  
  
"Boy 55-3" Carlos replies  
  
"Carlos, we need you and Kim back here immediately. Lights and sirens!" Lieutenant Johnson says  
  
"10-4, we're on our way." Carlos replies looking at Kim  
  
"What's wrong?" Kim asks  
  
"We've gotta go." Carlos responds, "It's an emergency at the house." *~*~*~*~*  
  
DK runs across the street when Bosco and Faith return to the precinct.  
  
"Bosco. We need you!" DK says  
  
"Huh?" Bosco asks  
  
"Bosco, just get over there!" DK says  
  
Faith is already running across the street sensing the urgency in DK's voice, and seeing that the lights of the truck are still on.  
  
"Oh my God. Bosco!" Faith yells  
  
He runs across the street after his partner. Taylor is placing 4x4s on Catherine's head to stop the bleeding. The sound of the sirens from the bus start to get closer to the house.  
  
"Bosco, there's a pipe over here, has some blood on it." Lombardo says  
  
Bosco and Faith walk over.  
  
"This is really strange Bos." Faith says quietly to Bosco  
  
"I know." He replies  
  
"You'd think that someone would have seen something suspicious right outside of a police station." Faith says  
  
Bosco's eyes light up.  
  
"What?" Faith asks  
  
"That jagoff! It had to have been him!" Bosco says running back to the RMP. "Bosco!" Faith calls  
  
The bus pulls up.  
  
"Oh my God! Mom!" Kim screams as Taylor and Walsh bring a gurney over to the bus.  
  
Lieutenant Johnson walks up. "Taylor, you and Carlos go. Kim you stay here."  
  
"But that's my mother." Kim protests as they load Catherine into the bus.  
  
"Kim, Joey's gone." Jimmy says  
  
"What?" Kim asks in disbelief.  
  
Other cops are combing the house for clues. Sully walks over with a slip of paper.  
  
"Jimmy, do you know anyone who would want revenge for something from the past?" Sully asks  
  
"Not that I can think of." Jimmy replies  
  
Sully hands him the paper.  
  
"Doherty, I told you we weren't finished. It's just a shame it has to end this way." The note reads.  
  
Jimmy looks confused. "Who, and why? Why take Joey?" Jimmy asks  
  
DK is sitting with Kim who is falling to pieces. Davis walks over.  
  
"Kim, I know this doesn't make you feel any better. But we are going to get Joey back." Davis says. *~*~*~*~*  
  
Bosco backs the RMP out of a space.  
  
"Where are we going?" Faith questions.  
  
"55 David to Central. I need a 10-14 on New York plates John Charlie David, 389." Bosco radios  
  
"Copy that David." The dispatcher replies.  
  
"Write this down when they call back." Bosco says  
  
"I'm amazed that you remembered the plate." Faith says "It's gotta be him!" Bosco says angry with himself for not arresting the guy when he had a chance. *~*~*~*~*  
  
Taylor and Carlos take Catherine into the ER.  
  
"52 year old female. Blunt force trauma to the head. BP 80 over 60. Pulse 48. 2 liters of saline in the field." Taylor rattles off as Nurse Proctor and others move in and guide them into a trauma room.  
  
Catherine starts coming around. "Joey? Joey?" Catherine panics  
  
"Don't worry Catherine. Joey's safe." Taylor says to calm Catherine down.  
  
"Catherine. Do you know where you are?" Proctor asks *~*~*~*~*  
  
"55 David to Central. 10-14 is negative. Registered to a Nathan Jackson. 1908 94th." The dispatcher replies  
  
"1908 94th?" Bosco questions  
  
"10-4 David. 1908 94th." The dispatcher replies.  
  
"This son of a bitch has got to be our man." Bosco tells Faith.  
  
"What are you gonna do? We don't have a warrant." Faith asks.  
  
"That's our guy. He'll slip up." Bosco says. *~*~*~*~*  
  
"Well little Joey. How are you?" the man asks  
  
"I want my daddy. Who are you?" Joey struggles but his hands are tied together.  
  
"Well Joey, you aren't going to be going anywhere. You don't remember me?" the man asks  
  
Joey shakes his head.  
  
"Well, the name's Nathan Jackson. I WAS a firefighter until your dad had something to do with my dismissal." The man replies angrily. "I never forgave him for that. He ruined my life."  
  
"What does that have to do with me?" Joey asks  
  
"Well you see, you're the only thing that's important to him. I have you. His life stops." Nathan says, "It's revenge time. And unfortunately, you are involved."  
  
Joey starts to cry out of fear as he watches Nathan walk around the room. There is a jug of gasoline, and some matches. As well as a 9mm.  
  
"This is where it all ends." Nathan says as he picks up the gas can.  
  
"Police open up!" Bosco yells from the other side of the door.  
  
"Oh, we have visitors." Nathan quips. "What's your business here?"  
  
"You know my business jagoff, now open the door!" Bosco says as he slams his fist on it.  
  
Nathan pours the gasoline around the apartment. The odor quickly fills the air. He lights a match and sets flame to a gas soaked rag that he throws into the back room. He then takes the gun and fires at the door.  
  
"Shit!" Bosco yells as the bullet grazes his arm.  
  
"55 David to Central, we have shots fired 1908 94th." Faith radios as the sound of gunfire erupts from the apartment.  
  
"Help!" Joey yells from the inside of the apartment. "There's a fire!"  
  
Bosco and Faith look at each other. The situation just became more desperate.  
  
"55 David to Central. We need fire and EMS at this location!" Faith radios again.  
  
"We gotta get in there." Bosco says as more shots ring out.  
  
"You ready?" Faith asks.  
  
"There's a kid in there. And that kid needs help. Hell yes I'm ready." Bosco reasons, almost as if he is convincing himself that this is a good idea.  
  
"Okay. Be careful!" Faith says as they prepare to take out the door and storm the apartment.  
  
Off in the distance they can hear the sounds of the ESU war wagon. *~*~*~*~*  
  
"Squad 55, Ladder 100. Police need assistance 1908 94th." The alarm rings out.  
  
Jimmy looks at Kim.  
  
"Kim get in the truck. I'm gonna need you." Lieutenant Johnson says  
  
Davis and Sully pull out and head off for the location as well. The firefighters scramble for the truck. Walsh pulls out of the bay. Jimmy looks over to Kim, who sits uneasily in the cab. *~*~*~*~*  
  
"Boy 55-3. Police need assistance 1908 94th." The radio calls  
  
"1908 94th." Carlos replies  
  
"Let's go!" Taylor says *~*~*~*~*  
  
"On 3 we are gonna bust in there." Bosco says  
  
Inside the apartment, smoke and flames are quickly engulfing the room.  
  
"What's the matter officer? Afraid of a few bullets?" Nathan teases  
  
"One. Two. Three!" Bosco counts as he and Faith bust into the room.  
  
They catch Nathan by surprise, he fires a few rounds. But Bosco takes him to the ground. Wrestling for the gun. Faith immediately works on freeing Joey from the chair he is tied to.  
  
"It's gonna be okay Joey." Faith says to reassure him.  
  
Bosco and Nathan are still struggling. The gun is in Nathan's outstretched arm. He pulls the trigger again. The bullet hits Faith in the leg. She falls to the floor.  
  
"You son of a bitch!" Bosco exclaims as he hears Faith cry out in pain.  
  
Nathan knocks Bosco off of the top of him and stands above him, gun pointed at his head. The flames fill the room. Jimmy reaches the top of the stairs and sees Bosco on the floor. Bosco spots Jimmy. Jimmy rushes into the room and tackles Nathan. DK and Lombardo rush in. DK grabs Faith, Lombardo grabs Joey. They head out of the room to get the two to the waiting medics.  
  
Debris starts to fall around the three in the room. Suddenly the window busts. Out on the street everyone covers their heads to protect themselves from the falling glass. They look up and see a body come out the window.  
  
Jimmy jumps up quickly and grabs Nathan's arm before he falls. Bosco helps him pull Nathan back in through the window. Bosco puts the handcuffs on him.  
  
"Let's go." Bosco says as he and Jimmy take Nathan out of the room.  
  
DK reaches the bus. Carlos and Taylor have the gurney ready. Carlos immediately puts compression on Faith's leg. Lombardo exits the building carrying Joey.  
  
"Joey!" Kim yells as she rushes up to him  
  
"He's okay Kim." Lombardo says as Kim takes him.  
  
"Where's Jimmy?" Lieutenant Johnson asks  
  
"They were wrestling with that guy." Lombardo replies.  
  
There is an uncomfortable pause as more glass shatters. Then Bosco and Jimmy immerge from the building with Nathan. Sully and Davis walk over and take Nathan, leading him to the RMP. The wind and rain continue to whip around the buildings.  
  
"We got him Faith." Bosco says  
  
"No Bosco. You got him." Faith replies as Taylor and Carlos put the gurney into the bus. Kim and Joey climb in as well. Kim is in tears, happy to have Joey back in her arms.  
  
Jimmy walks over to Bosco as he closes the doors to the bus.  
  
"Bosco, thank you." Jimmy says  
  
"For what?" Bosco asks  
  
"For saving my son." Jimmy says  
  
"One day, if the situation is reversed, I can't think of anyone I would want more to be there for my family." Bosco replies  
  
"I'm glad it was you helping my son." Jimmy says as Bosco climbs into his RMP to follow the bus to the hospital.  
  
"Always here to help a kid. It's my job." Bosco says as he closes the door and pulls off.  
  
Jimmy stands in the middle of the street as firefighters work around him to get the fire put out.  
  
"Jimmy, go be with you family." Lieutenant Johnson says as he and Lieutenant Swersky walk over to Jimmy.  
  
Jimmy follows Lieutenant Swersky to an RMP and they too head off for the hospital. 


End file.
